Curse of the Prayer Beads
by SilentDignity
Summary: Things haven't been going very well for Sesshomaru lately. He falls under a curse, meets his equal in battle, meets his superior, and steals the heart of...
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Sesshomaru, Rin or Jaken.

_To awake to the clinking go prayer beads, the same as my brother's. The same spell was upon the rosary I now wore around my neck. Was it a demon? One of those annoying admirers? Or placed by the hands of a sinister child? Either way I had to get it off, but how? _

_A rushing in the bushes told me that the incompetent fool had not yet left. Now to kill the fool and I'll be free of the curse. I ran to the sound only to find my face in the dirt by the words "bad dog". For me, the Lord of the Western Lands to be subdued by two words, and for a dog no less was insulting._

_I turned my head to see the face of the dead man. I saw a rather beautiful woman with short black hair and parted white bangs as long as her hair. Her eyes were icy blue with hints of yellow and green._

I awoke to the clinking of prayer beads and a beautiful woman with short black hair and parted white bangs and icy blue eyes with hints of green and yellow staring down at me, prayer beads in hand.

When she realized that I was awake she abandoned stealth and jumped off the tree, her two thumbs and index fingers holding the necklace in the shape of a square. I swiftly brought my hand up slapping the necklace out of her slender hands. Once she hit the ground she jumped back a ways from me.

I ran right to her and we exchanged kicks and punches very few actually hitting their intended targets. Then I pulled Tokigen from my sash and she went on the defensive. Slash after slash of my sword I pushed her to the edge of the valley her just barely dodging, back flip after back flip. The woman then picked something up and came running toward me continuing to dodge Tokigen. I thought she would go for my throat and readied myself to dodge and counter the blow.

She ran right past me throwing something in the air. I turned in the direction she went and ran after with lightning speed. Nobody runs from me.

The woman looked back and saw me pursue her and with her flawless face contorted by fear shouted desperately with all her breath "Bad Dog!" Something pulled at my neck with tremendous force forcing me to the ground.

I looked down and realized my mistake. There around my neck was a rosary similar to that of my brother's. I looked up to the beautiful woman with the intent of murder in my eyes.

"You will kill me with those delicate slender hands of yours, Sesshomaru, but not today." Her voice music to my sensitive ears.

Slender! Delicate! "Who are you?" I inquired with a level tone. Whoever managed to outsmart me, even if it was with complete luck, was worth knowing their name.

"Sen of the Korari Clan," she replied, her aura exerting confidence now that she had me in her clutches. That face that only seconds ago was controlled by fear and panic now wore a smug look.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" a small toad-like imp yelled and was echoed by a small human child both running toward me. The imp glared at the woman once a pace behind me. " Who is this woman Milord?"

"It does not matter to you imp," she said still looking at me.

"What do you want? Speak before I decide to kill you," I said.

"Have you forgotten that you are under my control due to the prayer beads around your neck?" she asked turning her head to the side.

"This can't be true!" the yellow-eyed imp yelled.

"Quiet Jaken," I was in no mood to put up with him. Jaken just made me more ashamed of the situation.

She looked at Jaken and Rin. "I see you have a retainer and a young ward," she observed, "I never would have guessed you'd have a girl following you around. Perhaps you have gone soft?" my eyes narrowed.

"Arrogant woman!" the imp shouted.

"Quiet Jaken," I said more forcefully. "What do you want?"

"Revenge," she answered raising her fist, immeasurable hate burning in her icy eyes. The intensity of that hate making me tremble with an emotion I was not familiar with. Was this what it was like to be afraid?

**Author's note- It's short I know but I want to see if you like it. And just so I don't make anyone confused the first 3 paragraphs are Sesshomaru's dream, after that is kinda déjà vu. If you love me review! And check out my other story Helper of the Darkness. The summary sucks. Just. Ignore. It.**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Sesshomaru, Rin or Jaken. I don't think you realize this but if I did I'd be dead.

You should be ashamed of yourselves. I told you to read my other story but did you? No. Enjoy the story.

Oh before you do, today my dog, Zoe, got lost but apparently somebody found her and took her home and put up flyers of a found Chihuahua. So my sister drove us up to the house, got lost, found the house, thanked her for looking after her, and went home. On the way home I told Zoe she sucked. We were listening to Queen during the trip.

So the woman was bent on revenge, "For whom?" I asked. I had to help her that much I knew-- as much as I hate to admit it she had me cornered, she could pull me in any direction and I would have to follow-- I will not help this woman blindly.

"A friend who was like a brother to me," she answered calmly, but changed to restrained rage in mid-sentence clenching her hand tighter, drawing blood, "What happened to him is unforgivable."

"Do you know who did this transgression?"

"Yes," she answered quietly, calmly.

"Lord Sesshomaru, how can you agree to help this wench?" Jaken squawked.

I ignored Jaken. I do not explain my actions and I will not start now, but it seemed that Jaken's intrusion snapped the woman back to the present. By the look on her face she said more then she wished me to know.

"Enough. We are wasting time. Come," she commanded, walking east. So she planned to keep me ignorant. Fair enough, I do not care.

"How dare you treat the great Lord Sesshomaru with such lack of respect, wench!" Jaken shouted indignantly, "And ordering him around expecting him to follow like a dog on a leash! I'll-" I shoved the blunt if the staff entwined with the carving of a head of an old man and a young woman painfully down Jaken's throat.

Jaken began coughing trying to get air into his small lungs.

"Stop it!" the woman shouted, worry and fear streaked across her face, "You'll kill him!" the staff stayed in Jaken's throat, if anything I pushed it down further.

Jaken looked at me pleadingly trying to talk around the staff while futilely trying to pull it out. She lunged for the staff trying to pull it out of the imp's throat but to no avail.

I completely forgot about Rin until I heard her crying. Rin was never present when I punished Jaken for his tongue, therefore not used to the brutality, and promptly pulled the staff from Jaken's throat.

"You monster!" the woman cried ignorant of the tears streaming down her beautiful face, "How could you do that to your own servant!" her eyes fell on the rosary around my neck and promptly shouted "Bad dog!"

The next thing I knew I was on the ground growling at the wretched woman smiling triumphantly down at me despite her earlier distress.

"Lord Sesshomaru are you alright?" Rin called walking over hesitantly.

I was up when Jaken ran around me looking for any obvious injury completely oblivious to the fact that I practically killed him "Are you injured milord?"

The woman was incredulous, "I can't believe you! He almost killed you! And you run to his side asking about _his _well-being! That's not loyalty that's stupidity!"

I couldn't kill her, she was too skilled for that and I was at a huge disadvantage. Unlike my little brother I knew when to be quiet and not make a fool of myself when the odds were not in my favor. However much it displeased me.

I will bide my time until the time is right…

**Author's Note: ha ha Sessy had to swallow his pride. Now on to more important things, the reason I scolded you is because I put a lot of effort in Helper of the Darkness. I know the summary sucks but I did tell you to ignore it. **

**Now to thank the little people that made me ridiculously happy that they reviewed:**

**Alexis: thanks. Glad you liked it. Blame writer's block and laziness to lack of chapters but be patient. **

**Snow Mouse: that's a good idea, how about you write it and I sit back and enjoy. But really, due to my sick twisted mind I'll probably turn our dear little Rin into a power hungry tyrant and we don't want that now do we? **

**Lou: who cares about Jaken? Oh, right, right. I'm interested to see where this is going too.**

**DemonsFury: I'll try but their making me feel deeply discouraged. **

**Kagura134: glad someone does. I like your stuff too. So funny. **


	3. Afraid

Disclaimer: Don't own Rin, don't want to own Jaken, and if I did own Sesshomaru I'd either die a slow painful death by his hands because I annoy him too much and/or he can't stand the fact that I'm better than him, or get trampled by the fan girls. I don't know which.

Ok, I'm gonna try to have this longer than a page! Two full pages might be pushing it though.

It was a bright summer's day, and I was traveling east following the woman Sen, Jaken leading Ah Un by its reins, Rin sitting in the saddle tired from the day's long trek, a few feet behind. The woman glared at me from time to time, daring me to escape.

Foolish woman, I will not run from her, I'll kill her. Nobody put a curse upon me and lived to put a second let alone survive the first.

Night came and Jaken and Rin fell asleep instantly. The woman propped herself against a tree as far away from me as possible while keeping me in plain sight and favored me with a glare. I chose to ignore her.

The next day we trekked through the forest in the same fashion as the previous day. Night was no different. Sen propped herself against a tree and again stared at me with a glare I was sure she would give me for as long as I was her companion.

It was like that for the entire night. She figured that as soon as she fell asleep I would slay her. She nodded off every once in a while but remained awake.

2 more days passed and her sleep deprivation was apparent. Her feet dragged on the uneven ground very nearly making her trip more than once, she talked in incoherent sentences, and ran into many trees, the only thing keeping her awake.

All of a sudden she just collapsed. I hastened my step and felt her forehead. It felt warmer than it was suppose to.

"What is it Milord?" Rin asked.

"She has a fever from sleep deprivation, nothing more," I answered picking her up with my arm, and laid her on Ah Un's back, "Jaken," I called to the imp.

"Yes, Milord," he answered respectfully.

"Make sure she doesn't fall off."

"Yes, Milord," it was hesitant but he knew better than to question me.

The woman awoke some hours later. When she did she sat with her back straight.

"Why didn't you kill me?" she asked bluntly.

It would be cowardly. I wanted her awake to witness her fate. That was why.

"Answer me!" she demanded.

I remained silent.

"Answer me damn it!" she shouted.

"I want you awake to witness your demise, nothing more."

She looked at me with fear in her eyes. Revelation came. She didn't put the rosary around my neck to make sure I helped she put it there because that was her only way to control me. To make sure I could not slay her. This necklace was the only thing keeping my blade from her throat.

Sen feared the day I would break free of the curse. And rightfully so.

**Author's note: wow, I actually made it. And here I thought I would fail horribly. **


	4. A Familar Name

Disclaimer: I don't own Jaken, Rin, or Sesshomaru.

Ok so I sat in a car for 7 hours with my dad on our way to a family reunion (which was not fun), 14 hours if you count the return trip, listening to Evanescence, a burned CD I stole from my sister, Shana Twain (I think that's how you spell it), Savage Garden, and Josh Groban. We didn't listen much to Josh Groban because dad said it was sleepy music. There was one thing I learned from that trip and that was that dad taps his fingers on the stick shift to the beat of the music when he likes a certain song which means he likes We're Not Gonna Take It by Twisted Sister.

The days of this preposterous journey turned into weeks yet still she did not tell any details about her plans of revenge or the perpetrator for which she hunted.

When day became night we set up camp. Rin and Jaken slept peacefully next to Ah Un, close enough to the fire to feel its warmth. The woman sat on a large log next to the fire the flames dancing in her beautiful icy blue eyes, the hints of yellow and green hardly visible. I also sat next to the fire though not for warmth.

She seemed mesmerized by the dancing flames. I, too, watched the flames and was lost in its ever-changing form.

"You look beautiful in the fire light," I was instantly snapped out of the calmness of the fire and looked at her, "The fire reminds me of Zel. His eyes are the color of fire."

Zel… what a peculiar name… and strangely familiar. "Is he the one you wish to avenge?"

"Yes," she answered. She snapped out of her dreaming state and glared at me, "I'm going to sleep," she said crisply. With that she stood up, brushed her butt off, moved to the other side of the fire, and lied down, her back turned to me.

The name sat at the edge of memory tantalizing me with its familiarity.

Eyes of flame. I had encountered no demon with such eyes and humans don't have red, orange or yellow as a natural eye color let alone mixed together. But, if Sen knew this person then I have not met him in the present but in the past.

Unfortunately the peculiar name and meager description ignited no spark of memory but of the feeling that I knew this man from my childhood.

The name sat at the edge of memory, tantalizing and frustrating me with its familiarity.

**Author's Note: you are all nut-bunnies! I tell you to read my other story Helper of the Darkness but I only have 23 hits counting the hits I get from both Fanfiction and Mediaminer. Sesshomaru's a freakin' god for crying out loud! One of my friends that read both of my stories liked Helper of the Darkness better than Curse of the Prayer Beads. I don't know whether to take her opinion to heart or not but can you at least take the time to read the first chapter? Thank you for listening to my plea and reading Curse of the Prayer Beads and if my hits don't go up for Helper of the Darkness I will be really sad. **

**Vickey: thank you for your high opinion of my story. Little do you know that I stole this idea from some guy named Moonglare… oh wait, did I say that out loud? If you're looking for creativity check out my story Helper of the Darkness, it's an Inuyasha fanfic even if it doesn't have all the characters from the show. **

**Moonguardian101 and animebishielover (since you both said basically the same thing): how did you know I was gonna do that! Guess I'm not as creative as Vickey thinks I am. I'm going to go cry in a corner now. **

**Kazmir: 4 chapters and still going! I can feel the love. **

**Chrosis: I do not respond well to threats so if you like this that much then get down on your knees and beg vermin. **


	5. Labyrinth of Memeories

Disclaimer: I own not Sesshomaru and company, but I do own Zel (not from The Slayers, just the name) and Sen, which is Japanese for war, which she seems to be waging against Sesshomaru. As for why she keeps going off into dream-like states and telling Sessy about certain things it seems Fate wants Sesshomaru and the unknown demon Zel to meet again! (Nobody asked that, nor, do I think, people really cared or paid any attention but those non-existent people I keep talking to.)

Ok, I went boating and got sunburned which makes me believe that I don't quite understand the concept of reapplying sunscreen. But I'll try to endure the agonizing burns (don't give me too much pity I don't think they're even considered agonizing, just a minor nuisance)

I searched the contours of memory and found nothing relating to the unknown demon. Even if Sen did not say so, I knew for a fact he had demon blood coursing through his veins though how much was uncertain.

Seemed as if I had to look farther, into the abyss of the labyrinth of my ever-changing mind to the very beginning of my existence.

I walked through the corridors of the labyrinth brushing lightly upon the memories of my adolescent years.

Further, I had to go further, to the very beginning.

I walked until I found myself at the end of the maze. No, not the end, the beginning. Darkness enveloped me, the darkness of my mother's womb.

And then there was the wailing of a newborn babe taking it's first breaths as it was brought into the world.

Once the babe quieted hands transferred it to an unknown person cradling it in their arms.

"A beautiful baby, he shall grow and become strong like his father," said one of the witnesses to my birth.

"I shall name him Sesshomaru," it was my father's voice.

"InuTaisho, may I be so bold as to hold the infant?" the familiar voice could be no other than Zel.

"But of course, Zel," my father answered. There was a sound of companionship and unspoken love in my father's voice. Was this Zel a friend of Father's? Why else would he have come to witness my birth and Father have let him hold me in his arms?

I had no time to look into this further. Sen would soon awaken and I have no wish to be in my meditative state when she does. I escaped the memory and walked through the corridors of my semi-conscious mind.

I walked down one corridor when it abruptly ended, showing nothing but utter darkness. I closed my eyes and leaped into the nothingness…

Fully now I felt the lush life of the clearing. I had been in the labyrinth for too long for it was day and by the position of the sun close to midday. Rin noticed I had awakened and promptly ran toward me "Lord Sesshomaru you're awake!" she said excitedly, "Sen tried to wake you Milord but you almost broke her wrist so she decided to leave you be."

I was not surprised. Ever since the cursed rosary was around my neck the wench has shown me no respect whatsoever. But the fear in her eyes is apparent however much she tried to hide it telling me with unspoken words that the curse had its flaws.

Perhaps she tried to glean courage from infuriating me, showing her I could not bite and had yet to find the fatal flaw in the curse.

But what really had me curious was the demon Zel. From what I had learned he was a dear friend of Fathers and means a great deal to Sen.

And he must be old, very old.

"About time," the wench said, entering the clearing, clearly exasperated, "I tried to wake you," she subconsciously rubbed her wrist in remembrance, "we need to get a move on we wasted too much time."

I rose in one fluid movement and followed her once more through the dense forest.

**Authors Note: I'm sorry for the poor excuse of a chapter as a friend so dearly and kindly told me and I hope this makes up for it. Unfortunately on my part I have no plot and storyline to go on, I'm just making this up as I go.** **Helper of the Darkness isn't getting much publicity but I've realized that no amount of yelling will ever get you jerks to do something you don't want to. And so you will all be victims to my spite. **


	6. Stranger With Eyes of Flame

Disclaimer: I don't own Rin, Jaken, or Fluffy

For 3 days I walked with 9 other people and with handcarts. The first day six miles. The next day 14.3 miles. The last six miles. I probably shouldn't count at least 4 because I rode in the cart because 1) I'm lazy and 2) because I feel no guilt whatsoever of people pushing the cart with me in it. If they start complaining then I'll get out of the cart. Luckily I had 2 strong energy-filled men in my "family" so I didn't have to get out the first time in the cart.

We walked onward, to an unknown destination. I was brooding over the memory, trying to find something else, something I might have missed concerning the demon Zel.

I found nothing. I knew Sen would not enlighten me, what she did tell me she told me when she was lost in thought and she was careful now to not let her mind wander.

As we walked I slipped away from the rest of the group. I needed a walk in solitude.

I was sure this would infuriate the woman for I knew to avenge Zel she needed my help. This showed she was smart but rash and like all women governed by her emotions.

Suddenly, before I knew it there was a man walking in my direction. He was naught but 4 paces away. This was no ordinary man, to have come so close without my knowing. He was handsome with his long white hair held back with a thong, his parted black bangs framing his face and emphasizing his eyes of flame.

He wore all black, his shirt and pants of an unfamiliar cut with a knife scabbard hooked to his pants on his left, the knife handle had two silver bells tied to it.

I pulled Tokigen from my sash and pointed it at the stranger. Whoever this man was he must die.

The stranger wasn't even fazed by my obvious hostility, was this man ignorant of who I was or just plain stupid?

Unfazed he unsheathed his weapon with a flick of the wrist, not a sound came from the bells.

"Do you honestly think you can fight me with a knife?" I asked in a level tone.

"Do not judge so quickly Sesshomaru, especially when you don't fully understand the situation," he replied, smiling. Arrogant fool.

"Do not patronize me," I said as I charged at him, planning to skewer him.

With god-like speed similar to my own he flicked the knife across his index finger on his left hand and it was no longer a knife but a scythe.

A scythe? It was scarcely better then the knife.

The thin blade of the scythe blocked my sword easily.

He then pulled the snath up midway and tokigen slide across the surface of the blade, sparks flying as metal scratched metal, as he turned to his right taking the snath of the scythe with him hitting me hard in the ribs continuing with the momentum turning so we were back to back for less then a second and hitting the other side of my body in the ribs and finishing it off with hitting the soft part under my jaw with the blunt end of the scythe with the blade. The force of the blow had me a few feet up in the air, back arched, until I collided with a tree.

And not once did I hear the chime of the silver bells tied around the snath an inch away from the blade.

Now I'm mad. I forced myself to my feet swiftly poised for attack.

"Oooooo, I got you mad didn't I?" he smiled. A smile like Naraku's, only, it seemed more sinister.

I held Tokigen close to my right ear and slashed the air sending blue energy waves in his direction and he began to twirl the scythe as he himself spun.

He moved the spinning scythe around and began to advance. He collided with the blue energy waves but instead of mutilating him it spun around him like a vortex and shooting it back at me.

I managed to dodge them all only to find the scythe's blade a hairs-breath from the nape of my neck and the stranger in front but he didn't go further. His entire arm and weapon were shaking with effort, a slight clinking sound coming from the scythe and the jingling of the two silver bells, as though trying to breach the invisible barrier that kept him from beheading me.

"Damn it," he muttered, pulling back the scythe away from my neck and said louder, "It appears Sudoku has become fond of you. You should thank him." He said seriously, smile gone.

He fit the meager description but this was not the soft-spoken man I heard in my memory.

**Author's Note: I think this story is going to be short. I make things happen sooner then I want them to… oh well, I'm not good with suspense, complex plots, or conceited people. **


	7. More Confused then Before

Disclaimer: I don't own Sesshomaru. At all.

FYI Zel has dog-ears like InuYasha's and two tails that nearly touch the ground one white with a black tip and one black with a white tip that I sadly forgot to mention in his first description. Sorry for the confusion and inconvenience caused, if any.

He flicked blood from his still open wound on his left index finger along the scythe's blade and it once again became a knife. He then sheathed it, his expression differing from the mocking smile that once graced his handsome features.

"It is good to see you Sesshomaru, you have grown," he said kindly with a small smile.

"SESSHOMARU YOU JACKASS!" a familiar outraged female voice shouted as she made her way through the underbrush, "How dare you leave like that! I'll slit your throat and-" she stopped short when she saw the man with eyes of flame. "Zel!" she shouted running to him and throwing her arms around him in a fierce embrace.

"Sen how do you know Sesshomaru and yet you still live?" Sen tensed at that.

"I can handle myself in a fight with him!" she shouted.

"Not long enough, eventually he would have defeated you and you know this. Tell me is the rosary around his neck your doing?"

She said nothing.

"Why Sen?" he asked.

"She wishes to avenge you and she was intelligent enough to seek help though the help she is receiving is reluctant," I answered. So this man is indeed Zel. Though this posed more questions then answers. Why was Sen seeking to avenge him when he is obviously alive? And if this man is indeed Zel what of his earlier arrogance and sinister smile? The man before me was not the man I fought but seconds before. And who was Sudoku? How had he saved me? I saw no intervention.

**Author's Note: So it's not much of a chapter. Sessy being called a jackass and the name caller yet lives should make up for it. If it doesn't I'm sorry but I don't know what more I can do for you. **


	8. Forgotten Memories

Disclaimer: yes, yes, I don't own Rin, Jaken, or Sesshomaru

Zel was not all that he appeared. The change in personality was proof of that. But was it a ruse? It had to be there was no other explanation. But what was there to gain by doing so? And who was this Sudoku? Was that merely a lie to hurt my pride? No, from the looks of the situation Zel was not expecting the scythe to stop. He had fully intended to kill me. Then what had stopped him from doing so?

Too many questions, not enough answers. I could find no explanation to answer all these questions.

Then what was I to do? I was affected greatly by this. This was something I could no longer ignore.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin called, riding Ah Un. I turned my head slightly to acknowledge her. She caught sight of the handsome demon, "Lord Sesshomaru who is he?" she pointed.

"Who is the girl Sesshomaru?" Zel asked curiously looking toward me. I did not answer.

He walked over to Ah Un and stopped two paces before it. "Who are you child?"

"I'm Rin," Rin answered.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Rin"—he put his right hand upon his breast—"I go by the name of Zel, I knew Sesshomaru ever since he was but an infant."

"Lord Sesshomaru I tried to stop her--" Jaken said out of breath stopping mid-stride when his eyes fell upon the unfamiliar demon.

"Hello who is this?" Zel asked diverting his attention to Jaken.

"I should be asking that question to you demon!" Jaken shouted.

"Pardon me and my poor manners," Zel bowed apologetically, "I am called Zel. InuTaisho, Narri bless his soul, was a dear friend of mine. Sana forgive me, I have done wrong."

Memories were unlocked so suddenly, rushing forward in a wave of incoherent thought. For but a single moment in the constant flow of time the labyrinth lost its complexity.

_Running through the mazelike corridors of the gigantic house seeking but not finding. The sheer exhilaration of exploring unknown corridors, unseen rooms. _

_Running around a sharp corner only to collide into something solid. I look up to the bewildered face of a handsome pale face framed with black bangs. _

"_Kitsunejin!" I shouted happily. _

"_Sana," he spoke, a smile slowly spreading across his face. _

_Wind blew over the meadow, the grass and many flowers swaying with little to no resistance._

"_Sana!" _

_I could not tell where to look in the open area._

"_Sana!" _

_I shook my head back and forth, surveying the next to flat land, trying to find the source of the sound._

"_Sana! Come hither!" _

_I was becoming terrified. I span around and around and around. _

_There he was, a solid thing in the middle of the blurring world, standing there with his hair blowing in the wind at times obscuring those gentle eyes of twin flames, smiling. _

Within those and yet more memories words blew, a gentle breeze within the confines of the labyrinth, whispering, caressing, comforting. _Be strong Sana. Be strong and prosper. _

**A/N: sorry faithful followers I haven't been having much inspiration concerning COTPB. For some odd reason I'm writing other stories that probably won't see the light of day. If you all wish to read them just say so and I will post them though I doubt you would, I'm still trying to get over the fact that people actually like Curse of the Prayer Beads. (Oh, and by the way, kitsunejin is suppose to mean fox man, I have no idea if that is right or not so don't put your full faith in me.) **


	9. Eyes of Darkness and Light

Disclaimer: I don't own Fluffy sadly.

Forgotten memories played themselves in my mind.

A faint whisper I could not distinguish was heard in the distance.

_Sana…_

I was cold, unhearing. The call fell on deaf ears. It was not for me the voice called.

_Sana! _

I turned my glazed eyes to a fair personage off in the distance.

_Sana, please come. _

Such a pained, beautiful voice it was, but it did not call for me.

_Sana! _

The personage looked in pain coming ever closer. Whom did it seek so desperately? I was alone surely it looked not for me.

_Sana! _The voice of the apparition grew fainter, more pained, but nonetheless it walked closer.

The figure was a beautiful man whom looked so similar to the man in my visions. Long white hair and parted black bangs graced his features, his countenance fair but his eyes were half black as the heavens half white as fallen snow. He seemed older, wiser, more timid then the other. He called once more.

_Sana why do you not heed my call? _

_Who do you call for? There is no other but me. _

The apparition walked toward me arms outstretched encircling me in a tight embrace head upon mine.

_You lost your senses so completely, so easily, dear one. Your hardened heart cold like ice. But upon the hardened surface of your heart is a crack. Slowly but surely it deepens. In time you will feel joy once more. You are strong Sana, and you have a great capacity for love that belies your cold demeanor. _

I felt at peace by his words. His arms a safe haven from the chaos of unlocked memories.

_Come, we must go. _

He kissed the crescent on my forehead and abruptly my eyes focused and I was back in the meadow, Zel kissing my forehead, his lips upon the imprinted crescent.

He pulled away and for but an instant I gazed into eyes of darkness and light, the immense compassion in that strangers eyes before they returned to their normal hue of blue, red, orange and yellow.

**Dante Gemini: I swear I'll read your story one of these days. Thanks for reading my going sucky story.**

**Caviiya: as you can probably tell I don't think I have a very good grasp on Sessy's character but I guess this is normal (thanks for your thoughts, that might be the case). Anybody who has done any form of artwork, no matter how good others think it is, think it sucks because they were there from the beginning, they know what's wrong with it. **

**Author's Note: what number chapter is this? Nine? Five? I'll find out eventually. In case you didn't notice I put other stories on FanFiction and MediaMiner because one day I got bored and that's what I ended up doing. See ya losers. **


	10. Perposterous Fantasy

Disclaimer: I don't own Sesshomaru

I was curious about the demon Zel, as was I everything else concerning him. The unanswered questions were making me seriously agitated.

I pulled Tokigen from my sash pointing it directly at him "I tire from the lack of explanations. Answer my questions before my urge to kill you grows stronger."

"You are so insolent and stupid!" Sen shouted, "bad dog!"

Once more I fell to the ground, my grip on Tokigen slipped as I fell forcibly to the earth.

"Sen, he has every right to know," Zel then directed his attention to me as I attempted to rise from the earth, "Pardon her rudeness Sesshomaru, I will explain."

He waited, not offering assistance, until I had risen before he began to speak.

"Your father and I were great friends since childhood. So much so that I was you and your brother's guardian."

"You speak lies, I barely remember you at all. There was no one there to raise me or my brother nor did I need it," I said.

"That is why I beg your forgiveness, if not that than to explain myself. You see the day your father died was around the time I was dealing with a problem that had developed. I was unstable and therefore unable to take both of you into my care."

"What is this problem you speak of?" I inquired for I believed this would explain his strange behavior.

"It is… difficult to explain but I shall attempt to find the words," Zel responded, "I was abused as a child by my mother. The only way I could cope with it was believe that it was happening to another. Little did I know that, in a way, it was happening to another. I had created… individual personalities to deal with my problems for me. If there was something one personality could not handle another was created; however, I was unaware of their existence or my mother's abuse. Until later. My theory is that they revealed themselves when they believed that I was mentally ready to handle my problems and their existence."

"So these personalities are a part of you?" I asked, rather skeptical of his explanation.

"They are me and yet have individual thoughts, mannerisms, habits. I can control them no better than you can control Sen or any other person."

"This tale of yours is too fantastic, it is nothing more than fiction." I could not believe such nonsense. It was preposterous!

**A/N: Sorry that it took so long. I guess I forgot that I was writing anything and I was never in the mood when I did. Also I have no idea what I'm doing anymore. I don't like this chapter because it feels so incomplete but I can't figure out what to add, so to the Internet it goes!**


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